Meijer Potato

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News January 2011

Abalimi Bezekhaya (“Farmers of Home”)

Together with our partner First Potato Dynamics in South Africa, C. Meijer B.V. has been supporting the Abalimi Bezekhaya (“Farmers of Home”) project.

Abalimi Bezekhaya was set up in 1982. The organisation works in the underdeveloped townships of Cape Town. Abalimi’s aim is to reduce poverty in these townships by supporting micro-agriculture in the local community allotments.

The organisation is led by farmers and each year it supports around 3000 micro-farmers. This project offers a wide range of benefits to these communities, such as fresh food for everyone and work for many people.

Vegetables are grown in the community allotments and these are sold on to the local population. This has a positive effect on the entire community. In this way the project is helping to fight poverty and helping to create jobs.

Because vegetables are being grown in people’s gardens it also encourages the well-being of the families. It provides healthy food and physical work outdoors.

In brief, “Urban farming” is an excellent instrument for developing communities. It changes the ability of the local population to support itself and, step-by-step, it improves the living environment in these townships of Cape Town.

For more information about this project please visit the website; www.abalimi.org.za

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